We would like to introduce you to a special Swiss Youth Hostels cooperation partner specialising in a healthy lifestyle that we have been working with since 2020.
Who is behind the GORILLA project?
The Schtifti Foundation was set up in 2003 to get young people excited about freestyle sports. In 2010, Schtifti launched GORILLA, a new type of programme to promote active health among young people. This project puts tons of energy into promoting a healthy body image (or “ooga-ooga” as they call it) and empowerment among young people.
GORILLA teams are made up of freestyle athletes and nutrition professionals who not only share their knowledge with you online, but also bring it straight to your playground or school. They do this by trying out different freestyle sports together with your class, recharging their batteries in a healthy and balanced way and exchanging ideas with everyone about respecting the environment. The focus is on the community, having fun and moving together, the joy of discovery and passion.
What does GORILLA stand for?
Gorilla defines itself by its three core themes of Action, Food and Green, which we will provide some insight into.
GORILLA ACTION: Here, it’s all about the fun of moving. In freestyle sports, the fun factor is pretty high, of course. And sports like skating, break dance, capoeira or parkour can usually be tried out anywhere and at any time, without needing much equipment.
GORILLA FOOD: When it comes to feeling good about your body, a healthy and balanced diet is just as important as exercise. And the extensive recipe database at gorilla.ch, full of creative and seasonal cooking ideas and exciting food insights, is proof that healthy can be anything but boring.
GORILLA GREEN: Taking responsibility for oneself, but also for the environment – that is the mission of GORILLA GREEN. The GORILLA teams invest in a healthy future for everyone and for our planet. The Website also provides exciting facts and inspiration on the subject of sustainability: There you’ll learn all about upcycling, recycling, strategies against food waste, urban gardening and much more.
How does GORILLA come to you?
Since its launch, the project has continued to develop and is present in many different places. Today, it reaches around 70,000 children, adolescents and young adults in Switzerland (as of 2019). In addition to numerous workshops (including inclusion workshops for people with disabilities), the programme features a school programme with 130 lessons according to curriculum 21, a junior programme (Gorilla Rookies), a content programme (online) as well as a mobile freestyle park (GORILLA Playground) for skateboarding, longboarding, stunt scooters, inline skates or BMX. By the way, the Gorilla Rookies stayed at Scuol Youth Hostel last year and spent an action-packed weekend in the Engadine.
If the GORILLAS are not planning a visit to your school in the near future, then check out gorilla.ch, facebook, Instagram or Youtube. There, GORILLA ambassadors and Rookies show you action clips and cool freestyle tricks to try out. They also give you a variety of tips on how to cook delicious and healthy food, or present you with ways to reduce your ecological footprint in everyday life.
We are proud to work with such a dedicated and action-packed partner and look forward to inspiring you and many others to boost everyone’s “ooga power”. Here’s to a healthy 2021!
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